Mixing together ideas, good individually, does not always lead to a result equal to or greater than the starting point. Indeed, the risk is often that of a mixture of elements that have little to do with each other, clashing from different points of view. Unfortunately, this is a clear case Hunter's Arena: Legends, that attempts to combine RPG, MOBA and Battle Royale components into one cauldron. But let's go in order and let's analyze the various aspects of production one at a time. One of the first things to stand out is the MOBA component, which vaguely reminiscent of titles like Smite or Paragon, especially given the type of view. Once you have chosen one of the game modes (Battle Royale, Battle Royale Trio, Tag Match or Free For All), you have about twenty seconds to choose a hero.
Divided according to the range of the skills and without further clues, the choice is a real leap into the void unless you have tested the different characters in the trial mode. In fact, it's not difficult to choose a hero characterized more for the role of tank-support for a solo game, so before playing it is a good idea to dedicate some time to the study of the characters. Between fire-eating monks and swordsmen armed with swords and guardian spirits, there is a decent choice despite a somewhat limited roster in the Early Access we tested. Each character has four skills, plus a super, obviously more powerful and strictly to be unlocked with the more advanced levels. Too bad it's not uncommon, being basically a Battle Royale, to get to a game over before having unlocked your ace in the hole.
That MMORPG you don't expect
Among the things that surprise the most, unfortunately negatively, of Hunter's Arena: Legends there is a complex system of items, upgrades and abilities that you can upgrade by fighting against the many monsters of the dungeons scattered around the map. In fact, if the classic Battle Royale starts with the players scattered around the map, here we all start in the same city, with a countdown before the start of hostilities. The common goal is therefore to get as far away as possible from the other players in order to loot one of the many structures on the map of objects and experience, in order to have a certain advantage over the opponents. Monsters drop gold, usable items, and equipment, which can be sold around town or further upgraded by one of the various merchants. So what is the problem with such a well-structured system? Simply the very nature of Battle Royale, where a defeat puts an end to the game, regardless of its duration. The idea works best in the Trio mode, where the possibility of being resurrected by a partner increases the longevity of the encounters, but it is still a system that cannot give its best in such short fights. Unfortunately, the same goes for the different areas of skill enhancement, since it is not difficult to get killed before having even unlocked a couple of them. Which is a great shame as it is possible to level up and upgrade different areas of your character.
More game modes… than players
If you are not particularly fond of the classic Battle Royale and the variant in teams of three, or you simply want to try something different, you can try your hand in a 1vs1 battle: the Tag Match. Here the RPG components are missing, since there are no upgrades, level ups or merchants but simple and immediate combat. Once we have chosen the two characters we want to use, the fist fight with our opponent will begin immediately and, as soon as the first hero is defeated, the secondary character will enter to replace him. The arena, decidedly small but ideal for such a duel, allows you to take advantage of certain skills for environmental kills, thus giving way to overturn certain clashes. The problem, however, is not living with defeats, but being able to get to the start of a game. In this, the Tag Match proves to be the easiest to access mode since it only takes two players to start it.
Many critical issues, few certainties
If the premises have seemed interesting so far, we must unfortunately warn you that the impact with Hunter's Arena: Legends was anything but pleasant. The European and American servers are empty, while the Asian ones have such high latencies that they are practically unplayable, let alone face an opponent in a duel to the death that requires reflexes and speed. Much of the time online is spent in deserted lobbies, in which a game that should aim for 60 total players does not even reach 5. As if this were not enough, the commands and the character himself are not very reactive, even without lag, with the constant feeling that the desired command is not being carried out . Changing servers and moving to one dedicated to Asia significantly improves player presence, but the latency makes a match with another player simply a death sentence. Between aspects of the gameplay that seem to clash with each other, the absence of players and a considerable cleaning work undoubtedly necessary, Hunter's Arena: Legends it is still far from being an enjoyable product, which will only benefit from more time in Early Access, if properly supported by the developers.
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